Device for driving front wheels of automobiles.



E. NOEL.

OEI'ICE FOR DRIVING FRONT wHF.E Ls OF AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FIOED MAR.29.1915.

1,167,424. Patented Jan. II, 1916.

3 SHEETS--SHEET l.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII gnvenfoz E. NOEL.

DEVICE FOR DRIVING FRONT WHEELS 0F AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29.1915.

1,167,424. Patented Jan. 1l, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. NOEL.

DEVICE FOR DRIVING FRONT WHEELS 0F AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION HLED MAR.29,1915.

1,167,424. Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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ELI NOEL, F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR DRIVINGFRONT WHEELS OF AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed March 29, 1915.

. vehicles of any type, and has for its object the production of a simple and eflicient means'for facilitating the turningof the wheels and at the same time driving the front wheels of the vehicle.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient supporting means for the Wheel turning mechanism whereby the wheels may be easily and conveniently turned at the will of the operator.

lVith these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure l is a front elevation of thewheel turning mechanism, the frame of the vehicle being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, certain parts thereof `being illustrated in section. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken through the 'front turning axle. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6, of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7 7, of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the axle supporting yoke. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of one of the wheel supporting hubs. Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 10-1O of 1. Fig. 11 is a section taken on line 11-11, of Fig. 3.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that l designates the frame of the vehicle from which is suspended a hanger frame 2 by means of a plurality of hangers 3. This hanger frame 2 supports an auxiliary turning shaft 4, which shaft has keyed thereon a gear 5 having its teeth concave as indicated by the numeral 6 in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The shaft 4 is supported upon a plurality of collars 7 carried by the hanger Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Serial No. 17,828.

frame 2, and a beveled gear or pinion 8 is supported upon the outer end and keyed to (the shaft 4, which beveled gear meshes with a beveled gear 9 supported upon a shaft 10, which shaft is connected to the main power shaft 11 by means of the universal joint 12. A pinion 13 is mounted upon the shaft 11 for the purpose of meshing with any suitable driving gear for rotating the shaft 11 to produce the desired rotation of the shaft 4 and the wheels 14 of the vehicle shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

The hanger frame 2 is provided with a projecting bracket arm 15 for the purpose of conveniently supporting the shaft 10 as clearly illustrated in' F ig. 3 of the drawings.

An axle supporting yoke 16 is supported upon the front of the frame 1, and this yoke 16 is provided at its respective ends with upwardly extending portions 17. These upwardly extending portions 17 are provided with journals 18 for the purpose of supporting the stub shafts 19. Each stub shaft 19 is provided with projecting pins 20 engaging the journals 18 and the upwardly extending portions 17 of the yoke frame 16 to constitute an efficient pivot support for the stub axles 19, which stub axles are adapted to engage the wheels 14 above described.

The axle supporting yoke 16 is provided` near its upwardly extending portion 17 with a pad 21 clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and a track portion 22 is also formed upon the yoke 16 near its respective ends for the purpose of supporting the turntable frame 23 hereinafter more fully described. The track portions 22 are preferably formed arc-shape so as to facilitate the easy rotation of th'e frame 23.

A shaft 24 is mounted upon the upwardly extending arms 9.5 of the turn-table frame 23, and this shaft Z4 carries at each end a gear 26 having teeth 27 formed upon the outer face thereof. The outer fate of these teeth 27 are convex as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

A gear 28 is keyed to the lshaft 24 by means of the key 29 and the teeth 30 of this gear are convex as indicated by the numeral 31 for conveniently meshing with the concave teeth 6 of the gear 5 as the turn-table frame is swung upon its pivot point 32. A gear 33 is mounted upon each stub shaft 19, and each of these gears 33 is provided with convex teeth 34, which convex teeth are adapted to mesh With the teeth 27 of the gear 26. The teeth upon the gear 33, however, are of a greater curvature than the teeth 27 owing to the fact that the stub shaft 19 is considerably shorter than the shaft 24: and, of course, will have a greater amount of swinging movement. Loose collars 35 are journaled upon the shafts 19, and these loose collars are adapted to rest upon the pads 21 above referred to' and constitute an efficient support for the inner end of the stub shafts 19 and relieve considerable pressure from the gears .33.

steering link 36 is connected to the turn-table frame 23 and is in turn connected to a connecting link 37, which connecting link 3T also engages a link 36 Vsimilar to the link 36, and asteering rod 38 is connected to the link 37 to permit the convenient swinging of the turn-table frame 23. It should be understood that a very simple and` eflicient means has been produced for permitting the front steering wheels of an automobile or other motor vehicle to be driven conveniently while the same is being steered and under the different changes of position Pof the steering wheel.

It should be understood that a very simple and eflicient means has been produced for bracing and supporting the gears 33 and at the same time allowing the same to be readily swung to thedesired position for the purpose of facilitating the steering of Athe vehicle.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is :e-

1. A device of the class described comprising an axle supporting yoke.. stub axles earried thereby, a pad supported near each end of said yoke, a loosely mounted disk carried .by each stub axle. said loosely mounted ldisk resting upon said pad, a gear carried by each stub axle, means for driving said gear, and means for changing the position of said driving means for facilitating the steering of wheels adapted to be supported upon said stub axles. y

2. A device of the class described comprising an axle supporting yoke, stub axles ycarried thereby, gears carried by lsaid stub axles, a turn-table frame rotatably mounted upon said yoke, a shaft carried by said turn-table frame, gears carried by said last mentioned shaft and meshing with said gears carried by said stub axles, means for facilitating the driving of said shaft, and means for facihtating the swinging of said turn-table frame upon said axle supporting yoke.

3. A` device of the class described comprising an axle supporting yoke, stub axles carried thereby, gears carried by said stub axles, a turn-table frame rotatably mounted upon said yoke, a shaft carried by said turn-table frame, gears carried by said last mentioned shaft and meshing with said gears carried by said stub axles. means for facilitating the driving of said shaft, said axle supporting yoke provided with a plurality of arc tracks near the respective ends thereof. the ends of said turn-table frame resting upon said track, and steering means for facilitating the swinging of said turn-tabley frame for changing the position of said stub axles.

4. A device of the class described comprising an axle supporting yoke. stub axles carried thereby. a turn-table frame. a driving shaft carried thereby, means for facilitating the driving of said stub axles from said shaft. a gear carried by said shaft and provided with convex teeth. an auxiliary shaft mounted adjacent said first mentioned shaft. a gear carried by said auxiliary shaft and having concave, teeth meshing with the convex teeth of said last mentioned gear. and means for driving said auxiliary shaft.

5. A device ofthe class described comprising an axle supporting yoke. stub axles carried thereby. a turn-table frame. a driving shaft carried thereby, means for facilitatingr the driving of said stub axles from said sha-ft, a gear carried by said shaft and provided with convex teeth. an auxiliary shaft mounted adjacent said lirst mentioned shaft. a gear carried by said auxiliary shaft and having concave teeth meshing with the convex teeth of said last mentioned gear. means for driving said auxiliary shaft. and means for swinging said turn-table frame.

In testimony whereof l hereunto allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELI NOEL.

Witnesses:

Jessie B. SCULLY, GEORGE H. SCULLY. 

